A man wanted on warrants out of Arkansas ended up airlifted to a hospital after flipping a pickup truck while trying to flee Wagoner County deputies in Okay on Oct. 27. Deputies say the chase started when the driver, later identified as William Smith, tried to back his way out of a property where authorities believed he was hiding.
According to News On 6, Wagoner County deputies were assisting Cherokee Nation marshals in locating Smith in Okay when the pursuit began. A deputy reported seeing a silver pickup attempting to leave the property where Smith was believed to be, prompting the brief but dramatic confrontation that followed.
Driver Accelerates in Reverse Before Losing Control
Investigators said the driver accelerated rapidly in reverse, which led the deputy to activate emergency lights and sirens in response, per the same account. The attempted getaway did not last long. Authorities said the driver lost control during the pursuit, causing the pickup to overturn onto its roof.
Deputies found the driver inside the overturned truck. Wagoner EMS transported him to a medical helicopter staged at Okay Public Schools, and he was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. OKC FOX reported that the driver was identified as William Smith and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Multiple Arkansas Warrants Await
Smith was held on warrants and holds from multiple locations in Arkansas.
Bodycam footage of the encounter captured the deputies' response as the pickup flipped during the brief reverse pursuit. The incident closed out with Smith in custody after the short but chaotic sequence of events in Okay.
